Anti-nuclear activists to continue protests at Kudankulam

Anti-nuclear activists have claimed that the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board’s (AERB) clearance to load enriched uranium fuel in the first 1,000 MW reactor at the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KNPP) is a violation of the atomic regulator’s commitment to the court.

Referring to the batch of petitions filed in the Madras High Court against the project, the People’s Movement Against Nuclear Energy (PMANE) in a statement Saturday said: “The AERB has given assurance to the Madras High Court that the post-Fukushima taskforce’s recommendations would be fully implemented in all the nuclear installations in India and that no fuel loading decision at the KNPP would be taken until then.”

“The current permission to load fuel at KNPP is a gross violation of that commitment made at the court and the sentiments of the struggling people,” PMANE added.

The petitions have been filed challenging the legality and appropriateness of the environmental clearance given to KNPP.

“The struggling people will do whatever democratically possible to oppose the authoritarian and illegal decision of the Indian nuclear establishment,” PMANE said.

According to PMANE, the police force in and around Kudankulam has been increased after the AERB’s nod to load fuel.

“The ruling AIADMK that takes up Tamil people’s issues and causes with the central government is letting us down with this most important issue that will have disastrous impact on our natural resources, our people’s health and livelihood and the well-being of our future generations,” the statement said.

According to PMANE, Chief Minister J.Jayalalithaa must decide if this is the “deadly and shameful legacy that she wants to leave with the people of Tamil Nadu”.

Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL) is building two reactors of 1,000 MW each with Russian technology at Kudankulam in Tirunelveli district, around 650 km from here.